white rim in a day — Blog — Megan M. Hottman

On October 21, 2020, I experienced a harrowing near-death experience while riding my bike in the bike lane through downtown Golden… my instagram post compiled shortly thereafter tells the tale:

I went back to the scene 2 days later, that Friday evening, and walked the steps and path, counting one-one thousand, two-one-thousand as cars passed by at the speed limit of approximately 25 mph. The police officer who responded to the crash above calculated the driver’s speed at 65-70mph. He would have closed in on me within seconds from behind, I would have never known the difference or seen it coming, and it would have been permanent - lights- out for me. That very afternoon my parents were arriving in town to visit me, and they would have been confused by why I wasn’t home. My heart hurts to think of it.

The good news is that in the days prior to this experience, I’d visited Moab. I’d ridden my mountain bike there for the first time ever with a very close friend who was patient with me and helped me learn as we rode- she’s such a role model to me on the bike and in life in general. And then I’d spent all day that Tuesday exploring Moab with a new friend who took me “Jeepin’” (my first time ever) on the 4x4 trails there, and we’d wrapped the magical days by enjoying sunset hikes in Arches National Park.

“The recurring thought that went through my mind as I rode home from the above-pictured event, was, “if my last day would have been yesterday, that was an amazing day of being outside, breathing fresh air, seeing new things, experiencing the world and connecting with amazing people. And if that was my last day, I would have been very happy to go out with that as my final experience here.””

— -Megan

So… with that as the backdrop- I got a LOT more serious about my bucket list of things I want to do before I die. With COVID I decided to focus on things I could do closer to home, i.e., drive-able - safe- outdoors - inexpensive - accessible. While I suspect we all have places we want to see and experience around the world, there are always plenty of treasures to be discovered closer to home, too.

One such item that moved to the top of my list was riding the White Rim in Moab- in a day. And I found myself blessed with a travel partner with a 4x4 capable Jeep- a vehicle that is set up for such an adventure, (versus a stock vehicle like mine which would get destroyed on such a trail). I found myself with no reasons NOT to pursue the goal…. but mind you, I fell victim to some of those doggone “shoulds” for awhile. We can get in our own way now and then, can’t we?

It takes courage to say YES to something scary. It is always FAR easier to stay home, to stay in the same daily routine, to talk about the bucket list without actually taking steps to do the big audacious things… Even as adventurous as I am, taking the actual steps to go do something big for the first time is always challenging. (PLEASE-GO DO IT ANYWAY!).

I got clear on my YES— YES, I REALLY WANT TO DO THIS! — and with the weather forecast sealing the deal (warm, dry, no wind!), off we went to Moab.

RECON:

I talked to a friend who’d ridden it and she assured me I had the skill and fitness to capably handle this…. I did as much online recon on websites /blog sites as I could as we drove to Moab. The Mountain Bike Project app/website provided a great downloadable- GPX file for directions and descriptions of some of the things we’d encounter. Friends said it was doable- but a big day- and warned yet again, “don’t take a vehicle out there that isn’t super 4x4 trail capable.” We were cautioned that SAG support would have a hard time keeping up with me on the bike due to the trail conditions, but we dismissed that, thinking we’d be different in our riding/driving capabilities somehow. I downloaded the file to my Garmin for turn-by-turn nav, but to be honest, the trail is pretty obvious the entire day.

THE GEAR:

I chose to ride my full suspension Mountain Bike out there even though plenty of folks have done this on a gravel bike or a hard-tail mountain bike. I decided comfort and fun would make the day the absolute best, and I was very happy with my bike choice. I think it’s easy to dismiss the trail as a “jeep road” but it’s rough terrain out there, and my body was grateful for the suspension-kindness. Five-Stars for FULL SQUISH.

Shafer descent down into the canyon. No guardrails — proceed with caution but be sure to soak up the views!!!

THE DAY:

This would not be a FKT attempt for me (Fastest Known Time) but rather a mission to enjoy the day, take photos, see the sights, feel the feels and live the experience fully. (Also, possible recon for a future FKT?!!? …TBD). We decided to ride the route as recommended on the Mountain Bike Project site- - clockwise. We started at the Shafer Trail trailhead and decided that Erik (my Jeep SAG support) would wait a few minutes and give me a head start (we thought that would be best so I wasn’t breathing in the dust from the vehicle by riding behind him). I enjoyed the descent down those switchbacks dropping me down into the canyon. GORGEOUS.

I couldn’t believe I was finally doing it -and I’d never ridden anything like this- the scenery, rocks, landscapes were breathtaking. (“…is this really my life?! How am I this lucky?”).

Off I went and occasionally would look back to see if I could see the Jeep. Every now and then across a canyon I could spot him. But eventually the way the canyon trail winds back on itself so much, around so many curves, I lost sight of him behind me.

Unbeknownst to me, Erik was pushing the Jeep to its limits to try and catch me — vacillating between frustration that he couldn’t drive over the rough terrain any faster without ripping up the Jeep, and thinking he’d likely missed me somewhere at a pull out or bathroom because there was no way I could be so far ahead of him. Dodgy cell signal made our communication difficult. Note: If you are doing it this way- use the trailhead spots and time to communicate to your SAG -not your mileage.

“As a first time SAG driver, I expected I would be able to provide the support Megan needed, when she needed it, and then pull ahead of her to reach the next checkpoint. WRONG! Even as someone who considers himself to be somewhat skilled in the off-road world, with a vehicle that is definitely capable, I couldn’t keep up with her! I was pushing it way too fast to try to catch her and I was really concerned about what I was doing to the Jeep. She was killing it and I just could not keep up. She was a rockstar! Next time, I’d have a different plan in place to allow me more time in the beginning to reach a predetermined location in order to provide her better support...and decreased stress on both of us as well as the Jeep.”

— Erik M., Jacksonville FL

Lesson I learned: I should have said, “I’m passing ____ campground and it’s (TIME)” so that whenever he got the text he could have seen where I was relative to his position. Instead, I made the mistake of texting “I’m at mile ….” (Whoops). We reconnected around mile 35 when I stopped to talk to a family and after that it was smooth(er) sailing. We tried to let him go ahead for awhile, but I was right on his bumper— there is no doubt, the bike can cover that trail so much quicker than anything with 4 wheels.

(Note: it was SUPREMELY satisfying to be able to overtake and outpace the vehicles out there all day long- even the most worthy 4x4 vehicle couldn’t hang with the bike ;) .

As the miles clicked off I realized I was enjoying a “no chain” kind of day-feeling amazing mentally and physically. The views were incredible and ever-changing. I took as many photos as I could. We saw very few cyclists /4x4 motorists out there-it was a glorious day to enjoy the Rim and have it mostly to ourselves.

The Route:

When you ride it clockwise, you finish the Rim up a brutal climb that is only SLIGHTLY less steep than the Shafer descent was- it’s a big punch in the legs when you’re 80 miles into the day. Due to Daylight savings having just taken place a few days before, and my desire to wait to start my day until the temps had warmed a bit (versus starting at first light), I began to run out of daylight as we exited the rim and hit the 10-mile stretch of open unnamed gravel road, (which then drops you onto the road for the final 10-mile section if you’re going for a complete loop and the full 100-miler). As it grew dark and I donned my lights, the temps dropped big time. Even putting on additional layers, I couldn’t warm up after being soaked in sweat coming up that last monster climb. My feet were suddenly frozen. With the Jeep behind me and my body feeling cold and unsteady, I decided I didn’t need the final 10 miles of gravel and 10 miles of pavement to make it a perfect loop— I’d already had the perfect day. Perhaps when it’s warmer in the spring and there is more daylight, I’ll strike out again to ride the full loop.

One thing to consider: some riders prefer to get the big climb out of the way first. You could either have your driver drop you at the base of Shafer and climb that first and proceed counter-clockwise on the loop, OR you could have your driver drop you at the Mineral Canyon Climb and climb that first, proceed to the 10 mile gravel stretch, hit the pavement, roll to the top of Shafter, and then finish at the base of the Mineral Canyon climb -which is probably the ideal way to go if you want to get that big ol climb done early.

If you haven’t picked this up by now I’ll restate myself once more: Do NOT under-estimate the gnarliness of the trail when you select your SAG vehicle.

I was lucky enough to have a very capable driver who is accustomed to doing extreme obstacles and trails in his Jeep- which is outfitted with WAY -beyond- stock upgrades in terms of lift, tires, bumpers, winch, etc. I promise you --the website descriptions of some parts of the trail significantly underplay some of the gnarly sections, especially the 2 super-steep uphills. Bring an experienced off-road driver!

Of course it goes without saying- - be a trail steward and cycling ambassador— it’s a $30 fee for your vehicle to get into the park AND then you also need to get your day pass to be out there! If you plan to break it up into multi-days, reserve a campsite at one of the many spots along the way. But if you’re riding it in a day, just get a DAY PASS and save the confirmation to your phone or print it out. We encountered a Park Ranger out there and he asked us about our plans and confirmed we had our pass and THANKED US for doing what was asked of us — it’s for your own safety, also, as they ask for your vehicle description in the event search & rescue needs to come find you.

All in all, it was an incredible experience, one I highly recommend if you’ve not done it- and it’s one I’ll definitely do again now that I know what I know!

Pack a LOT of water- it is NO joke out there! And bring your camera and a smile- this is like one giant playground to be enjoyed and savored on 2 wheels or 4.

““Hey, I’m thinking of heading out to Moab to ride White Rim Road tomorrow...” When you associate yourself with badass go-getters, receiving texts like this is the norm. Now knowing the impetus behind this ride, the narrow escape from Ford St in Golden, Hottman is setting an example that we could all follow in 2020. What is left on your list, and how can we get after it? In a year void of major endurance events and races, we can use this time to chase dreams. So, what are you going to do first?”

— Thomas Stott, Elevation Running/ coach